On January 31, 2008, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers stopped taking verbal declarations of citizenship from U.S., Canadian, or Bermudian travelers as proof of citizenship arriving from sea and land ports of entry.[3]

On March 27, 2008, the Departments of Homeland Security and State announced that "full implementation" of the land and sea provisions of WHTI would begin June 1, 2009; on that date, the following types of documents would become the only acceptable documents for border crossings for most travelers:[4]

Mexican nationals: A valid Mexican passport and a visa or a valid Form DSP-150, B-1/B-2 laser visa (also called a Border Crossing Card, or BCC); a valid SENTRI card may be used for access to expedited border crossing lanes.

US or Canadian citizen children under age 16 (or, when traveling as part of certain groups, under age 19) can also use other documents as identification, including a birth certificate, for land and sea border crossings.[10]

Native Americans in the United States, Mexico, and Canada may be able to use certain additional forms of identification (in addition to the documents valid for citizens of those countries):

Members of other U.S. tribes may use an "Enhanced Tribal Card", when available and approved by DHS.

Members of Canadian tribes may be allowed to use the proposed Secure Certificate of Indian Status already designed and approved by Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, waiting for DHS approval.[11]

In addition to the other documents designated under WHTI, U.S. citizens on round-trip cruise-ship voyages that begin and end at the same port of entry in the United States may also carry a government-issued photo ID and birth certificate, Consular Report of Birth Abroad, or Certificate of Naturalization. Foreign nationals need a WHTI-designated document to travel to the United States on a cruise ship.